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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers

The flexibility of the indexing cutter head technology from Schleuniger (Manchester, NH) has been paired with servo drives and improved electronics in the new PowerStrip 9550. The tool processes a wide range of applications, from stranded wire to multi-conductor cables, as well as coaxial and other shielded cables.

The new Hybritec combination dryer series from Kaeser (Fredericksburg, VA) combines the energy savings of a refrigerated dryer with the low dew points of a desiccant dryer, according to the company. Hybritec units operate on a process that first treats the air to remove a majority of the water vapor.

Hammond Manufacturing (Cheektowaga, NY) has added nine sizes to its 1550 family of die-cast aluminum enclosures, which provide robust mechanical protection and good EMC attenuation levels. The tapped holes and machine screws used to secure the lid make them suitable for use where interior access will be required on a regular basis.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Gasoline may soon include more ethanol, but people who work on boats and small engines say they fear the change will lead to many more damaged engines and costly repair bills.
Even though the federal Environmental Protection Agency did not approve the blend for many types of engines, some may still inadvertently fuel their craft at a station that sells it.

The Paul N. Gardner Company (Pompano Beach, FL) has developed the OCMA-310 Oil Content Analyzer, which can assess the trace amount of hydrocarbons in a variety of materials, as well as check for residual hydrocarbons on pre-cleaned products. The S-316 solvent used by the unit can be recycled by a solvent reclaimer, making the system environmentally-friendly.

EnKon Systems — the new brand name for Herkules Equipment Corporation ’s (Walled Lake, MY) scissor lift tables — has coupled a hydraulic scissor lift with a tilting conveyor. The system allows for loading and assembling components before sliding the piece to another assembly cell.

Videojet Technologies Inc. (Wood Dale, IL) allows companies to print large, variable data codes on both porous or nonporous substrates with the new Videojet 2120. The system can apply characters on everything from cardboard and paper, to plastic and foil. Multiple printhead and ink options provide the flexibility to configure the industrial ink jet printer for different products.

LA-MAN Corporation (Mazeppa, MN) is now offering the AMD-035 SuperStar Membrane Dryer that provides clean and dry compressed air. The membrane dryer can be used where refrigerated dryers may be too large. The AMD-035 lowers the dew point by continuously removing water vapor and venting into the surrounding atmosphere.

There are characteristics of German manufacturers that could enhance U.S. initiatives to create a more successful manufacturing-based economy. Much has been written of late about the loss of manufacturing jobs in the United States. Statistics show that the U.S. has lost over an estimated 3.

Douglas K. Woods, AMT President
December U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $446.76 million, according to AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology and AMTDA, the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association. This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTC program, was up 40.

With the increase in the urgency to combat climate change, the manufacturing industry is beginning to take responsibility for its actions and transitioning into greener practices with the “Go Green” movement. Nevertheless, the current economic situation is not supportive for manufacturers to spend the high up-front costs of being environmentally sustainable and waiting for the long-term return on investment generally keeps the executives wanting to sustain the “doing business as usual” model.

Chemical disclosure is on the forefront of proactive minds across the processing industry. What is your company willing to divulge? From the dispersants used in the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) chemical disclosure to Consumer Product Safety Commission databases to Bisphenol A (BPA) safety concerns, everyone wants to know what’s in their daily inventory of product and how safe it is.

At some point in time every industrial plant must bring in an outside contractor to do specialized work such as boiler blasting, concrete waterproofing and ceiling painting that in-house manpower cannot perform on a cost-effective basis. Such an option makes sense, in that many industrial operations do not enjoy the luxury of re-assigning staff to do labor-intensive work that requires additional training.

It’s been America’s “signature” since the Industrial Revolution when machinery, factories, and mass production became our hallmarks, and inventiveness, innovation, and ingenuity became our trademarks. Financial pundits, business leaders, and government officials — past and current — assert manufacturing represents this country’s economic engine and serves as the catalyst for prosperity.

Horsepower, raw speed, and massive gasoline engines are all the rage at the Chicago Auto Show, where automakers from around the world are displaying their latest products.
From a new convertible Camaro, to the incredibly-expensive Lexus LFA, and to a Cadillac that can get to 60mph in just four seconds, the show is all about who can go the fastest.

You've likely heard about computing in the "cloud," but do you know what that really means? The on-demand, always-on world of cloud computing comes down to massive data centers, where thousands of rack-mounted servers are cooled by powerful cooling units. Even a power outage won't take the facility down, thanks to enough generators to power a small town.

Has the host of a nationwide radio program finally cracked secret recipe of Coca-Cola? This American Life 's Ira Glass claims to have found the original recipe — one of the most closely-guarded secrets in business — in a newspaper, of all places. Of course, Coca-Cola claims that the Glass-produced recipe is a cola, but not Coca-Cola .

Should we be afraid of the “singularity”? Scientists believe that come 2045, the processing power of computers will become so overwhelming, that mankind will forever be changed. New research will be conducted by computers with super-human intelligence, only furthering their power. Will we end up the enemy, or will we be able to co-exist?
If you’re having trouble watching this video, try downloading the latest version of Flash Player or contacting your IT department.

SHANGHAI (AP) — Apple Inc. says its audits found labor, safety and other abuses by its suppliers in 2010, though it praised Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn for saving lives through its handling of a spate of suicides at its factories in China.
The findings, outlined in Apple's annual supplier responsibility report, prompted local reports Wednesday to decry the "high price" paid by Chinese workers who assemble hit gadgets like the iPod and iPad.

BEIJING (AP) — China plans to tighten control over rare earths producers and restrict output in a five-year development strategy, the Cabinet said Wednesday, amid concern abroad about plans to reduce exports of the exotic minerals used in high-tech goods.
A Cabinet statement promised to "reasonably set annual quotas for production and export" but gave no details.